Vladimir Putin Calls Elon Musk a ‘Genius’ as Starlink Tensions Roil Ukraine

Vladimir Putin praised Elon Musk as a “genius” and said Russia remains in close contact with the billionaire, even as questions over Starlink’s role in the war in Ukraine continue to draw attention. The remarks were made in Moscow during the two-day Russia-Africa Summit, where Putin spoke about Russia’s own satellite internet project, Rassvet. He reportedly described Musk’s work on Starlink admiringly, while also presenting Russia’s system as a project the country is developing independently. “We are in close contact with our American partners, including Mr. Musk,” Putin said, according to the BBC’s translation. He added that both sides value the relationship and are continuing to work together despite political disagreements. The article also cites a Times of London translation in which Putin said Russia was proud to have begun its project independently. The comments came amid scrutiny of Starlink’s use by Ukrainian forces. The satellite internet service, operated by Musk’s SpaceX, has been widely used in Ukraine since Russia’s invasion. Earlier this month, restrictions on connection speeds reportedly affected military applications, including the operation of drones. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky later said speeds had returned to normal. Musk said SpaceX had limited access after Ukrainian forces used the civilian service for offensive drone strikes, which he said breached its terms. He maintained that such use had never been permitted and said the company had closed what he described as a loophole. Musk also argued that Starlink had contributed greatly to Ukraine’s defense. Russia has called Rassvet its answer to Starlink, but the BBC reported that it has only a few dozen satellites, compared with roughly 13,000 launched by Musk’s company. Russia’s embassy in South Africa described the system as an early step and said Moscow maintains close contacts with the United States on space matters, including with Musk. The article notes that Russia continues to attack Ukraine from the air. It does not report a response from SpaceX or Tesla to the comments, saying the outlets had contacted the companies for comment.